Residual herbicides in Roundup Ready soybean: A case study in multiple years and locations with Ipomoea triloba

ABSTRACT The evolution of glyphosate-resistant and -tolerant weeds has caused changes in weed management around the world. Residual herbicides are crucial tools for weed management, but the rate of adoption by soybean growers remains very low in Brazil. In this research, we used glyphosate tolerant Ipomoea triloba as a model weed species to evaluate the advantages of using residual herbicides on soybeans in multiple years and locations of transition and Cerrado regions of Brazil, rather than relying only on post-emergence control. Most residual herbicides provided enough residual activity to allow a longer application window in post-emergence. Treatments with residual herbicides increased overall weed control, preventing weed interference and increasing soybean yield. When two residual herbicides were used as opposed to only one, a better I. triloba control was achieved, reflecting in higher crop yield, especially in conditions of high weed infestation. The use of pre-emergence herbicides allows growers to have a longer application window for the post-emergence treatment, which is particularly important in Brazilian Cerrado large fields when logistic could be an issue.